Lorena Canals is an enterprising woman through and through. Tenacious, very energetic and self-taught in business, she defines herself as half designer and half businesswoman. Her washable rug brand, now present in more than 80 countries, began in the garage of her home 25 years ago. The idea of ??a rug that can be washed came to her when her daughters were still children and she was looking for a rug that she wouldn’t have to take to the dry cleaners every time the little ones stained it. And since it didn’t exist, she got to work and created it herself.

What in its beginnings was a small design workshop and warehouse that relied on external producers to come to life, is now a pioneering company in the textile sector with its own factory, 18 distributors around the world and more than 200 employees.

Lets start by the beginning. 25 years ago, in the garage at home, how did what is now Lorena Canals work?

At that time there were no cell phones so I had my landline in the garage; I talked to Indian producers, sent them my designs and contacted clients, took orders, invoiced, took remittances to the bank… My great school was having to do everything, now I can get into any meeting of any kind. department because I can contribute something.

And from the garage it grew to what it is today.

When I couldn’t get there on my own, I hired a girl who came to work in the garage; Then I hired another to help me sell. There were three of us when my husband told me: “This can’t be.” So I already found a place. It was small, but the staff grew and we ended up renting eight in the same building. It was crazy, a horrible disorder. My husband always supported me and also my daughters, they have helped me a lot. It is not just a business, it is a family and life project.

When you opened the factory in India, weren’t you worried that workers’ rights would not be respected?

No, because I control it. The factory is ours, I know the salaries they earn and they are salaries as they should. No one leaves the factory, so you understand what I mean. They work eight hours and have lunch breaks. We are surrounded by factories that pay poorly or that do not comply with minimum hygiene standards. For example, when they beat cotton, a dust comes out that gets into their noses and they end up dying of respiratory complications at 40. When I arrived I found out about this I said, look, it’s going to give me a bad time.

Does anyone control you so that you comply with all this?

When selling in the United States, we have a very large client who makes us pass certifications every three months, notifies us 24 hours in advance and goes to the factory to check that it meets the conditions requested. If your factory does not comply, they will not buy the product from you. The thing is that India is a supplier of big brands, there are few companies with their own factories. And of course, you go to a fast-fashion store and buy a garment that costs 14 euros and I can assure you that you are a participant in exploiting a child in India.

You are involved in all the processes of all the departments from minute zero. Has it been difficult to delegate responsibilities as you grow as a company?

Yes, I learned that I can’t be involved in everything. First I delegated it to my daughters, which cost me horrors, I told them the defects every two seconds. In fact, I am training with a coach to know how to delegate more. I don’t like being on top of people, I don’t like correcting them and I trust my team. But it was difficult for me, because of this responsibility that I have for the company.

It’s just that you also share the name…

It costs eh… I put my name out of laziness, for not thinking much. Even my logo was my signature, as I did everything alone, because it was Lorena Canals.

Is it hard to be exposed like this?

It cost me, yes. When I started to be known, especially abroad, they treated me like a rag. And I had to understand that it wasn’t me, that they were talking about the brand. Then there is the one who would have preferred another name, which due to lack of time I did not think of another. There came a time when my husband told me: “Lorena, you can’t change it now.”

Did you consider changing the name of the company?

Yes, but we had already spent a lot of money on marketing, making ourselves known… And I said, well, I’ll change it! The name was a bit impulsive. Yes, it is true that there is a statistic that says that companies that bear the name of the businessman are always much more careful. I would never make a rug that I considered ugly, or I would never make something that was not eco-friendly. I think having your own name makes you think about everything more.

How do you handle Lorena Canals’ designs being plagiarized?

At first he had a terrible time. I remember one day I was crying because they had copied a design and my father told me: “Two things can happen to you: no one copies you and you don’t sell anything, or you sell a lot and they copy you, which do you prefer?” And I relaxed, now I even laugh. In the end you say, well, what a shame they have to copy me. For me it is spontaneous to do this, it comes innate to me. Sometimes they even steal our photos and sell a rug with our photo on it. Or they have brought me carpets with defects that were not ours. The last straw.

Haven’t you lost clients with the copies?

At first we did lose clients. Now I think the brand is better known and they appreciate our product. And anyone who doesn’t appreciate it is not our client. I’ve learned that too. He who wants a handmade thing knows what it is worth.

What does a creative need to succeed?

Look, one day they called me for the final project of some design students. The only thing that happened to everyone who passed by there was a lack of confidence. You have to have confidence in what you do, because if you don’t have confidence, how are you going to sell me that this is beautiful? There is a lack of self-confidence, yes, without going overboard and learning from mistakes.